Ruthenians to their hairy neighbours the Russians.

[Illustration: THE RULERS OF HELL LAID HANDS UPON THE OVERSEER
STRAIGHTWAY]

THE CAT, THE COCK, AND THE FOX

There was once upon a time a cat and a cock, who agreed to live
together, so they built them a hut on an ash-heap, and the cock kept
house while the cat went foraging for sausages.

One day the fox came running up: "Open the door, little cock!" cried
she.--"Pussy told me not to, little fox!" said the cock.--"Open the
door, little cock!" repeated the fox.--"I tell you, pussy told me not
to, little fox!"--At last, however, the cock grew tired of always
saying "No!" so he opened the door, and in the fox rushed, seized him
in her jaws, and ran off with him. Then the cock cried:

"_Help! pussy-pussy!
That foxy hussy
Has got me tight
With all her might.
Across her tail
My legs do trail
Along the bridge so stony!_"

The cat heard it, gave chase to the fox, rescued the cock, brought him
home, scolded him well, and said, "Now keep out of her jaws in the
future, if you don't want to be killed altogether!"

Then the cat went out foraging for wheat, so that the cock might
have something to eat. He had scarcely gone when the sly she-fox
again came creeping up. "Dear little cock!" said she, "pray open
the door!"--"Nay, little fox! Pussy said I wasn't to." But the fox
went on asking and asking till at last the cock let him in. Then
the fox rushed at him, seized him by the neck, and ran off with
him. Then the cock cried out:

"_Help! pussy-pussy!
That foxy hussy
Has got me tight
With all her might.
Across her tail
My legs do trail
Along the bridge so stony!_"

The cat heard it, and again he ran after the fox and rescued the cock,
and gave the fox a sound drubbing. Then he said to the cock, "Now,
mind you never let her come in again, or she'll eat you."

But the next time the cat went out, the she-fox came again, and said,
"Dear little cock, open the door!"--"No, little fox! Pussy said I
wasn't to." But the fox begged and begged so piteously that, at last,
the cock was quite touched, and opened the door. Then the fox caught
him by the throat again, and ran away with him, and the cock cried:

"_Help! pussy-pussy!
That foxy hussy
Has got me tight
With all her might.
Across her tail
My legs do trail
Along the bridge so stony!_"

The cat heard it, and gave chase again. He ran and ran, but this time
he coul